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In a study of older people with sisters and brothers,
在一项对有兄弟姐妹的老年人进行的调查研究中，
psychologist Debra Gold of the Duke Center for the study of aging and human development found that
杜克中心从事老龄化与人类发展研究的心理学家德布拉·戈尔德发现，
about 20% said they were either hostile or indifferent toward their sisters and brothers.
大约有20%的老人表明他们仇视其兄弟姐妹，或对其十分冷漠。
Reasons for this ranged from inheritance disputes to hostility between spouses.
产生这种现象的原因从继承纠纷到夫妻仇怨各不相同。
But, many of those who had poor relationships felt guilty.
但是，许多跟兄弟姐妹关系不好的人是心有愧疚的。
Although most people admitted to some lingering rivalry,
尽管许多人承认兄弟姐妹之间存在着一些挥之不去的对抗行为，
it was rarely strong enough to end the relationship.
但这些对抗的确不足以断绝彼此的关系。
Only four out of the 54 people interviewed had completely broken with their sisters and brothers
54个受访者中只有4个人与兄弟姐妹断绝了关系，
and only one of the four felt comfortable with the break.
四个人中只有一个人对这种状态感到舒适。
As sisters and brothers advanced into old age, closeness increases and rivalry diminishes,
当兄弟姐妹迈入老年时，亲密度会上升，而敌对会减少。
explains Victor Cicirelli, a psychologist at Purdue University.
普渡大学的心理学家维克托·奇奇雷利解释说
Most of the elderly people he interviewed said they had supportive and friendly dealing
他采访的大多数老年人都表示，他们与兄弟姐妹之间互相支持，
and got along well or very well with their sisters and brothers.
关系友好，相处融洽，有的甚至十分亲密。
Only 4% got along poorly.
只有4%的受访老年人与兄弟姐妹的关系非常糟糕。
Gold found that as people age,
戈尔德发现，当人们上了年纪之后，
they often become more involved with and interested in their sisters and brothers.
他们与兄弟姐妹们的交往会更密切，会对他们更感兴趣。
53% of those she interviewed said that contact with their sisters and brothers increase in late adulthood.
53%的受访者表示，晚年时他们与兄弟姐妹们的交往有所增加。
With family and career obligations reduced, many said they had more time for each other.
随着家庭和事业责任的减少，许多人表示，他们现在有更多的时间和兄弟姐妹相处。
Others said that they felt it was time to heal wounds.
其他人表示，他们觉得是时候缓和关系了。
A man who had recently reconciled with his brother,
有一个人最近和他的兄弟和解了，
told Gold there's something that let's older people put aside the bad deeds of the past and focus a little on what we need now,
他告诉戈尔德，有些事情会让老年人放下过去的恩恩怨怨，更加关注于目前的需要，
especially when it's sisters and brothers.
尤其当他们需要兄弟姐妹们时。
